Some other uses for a tea cup, via CuteOverload …

Tea has made its way over the years into the very fabric of our language. Some of our most treasured phrases, even cliches, make reference to, or originate, in the world of tea.

Take for instance: ‘not my cup of tea’. We all know what that means: it’s an expression of dislike, that something is not suited to one’s taste. First recorded use in 1932.

Then there’s the phrase: ‘not for all the tea in China’, which originated in Australian slang in the 1890s. It means, of course, ‘not for any price’.

More interesting in terms of etymology (or the origins of words): ‘dressed to a tee’. We’ve all heard that one. It means to be dressed smartly, even formally. The OED does not give us a definitive root, except to say that is a variation of ‘dressed to go to a tea’: see the Japanese tea ceremony entry for a cultural alternative to being dressed to a tee/tea.

A hilarious Scottish phrase, meaning a mean-minded refusal of hospitality: ‘you’ll have had your tea then’. Surely top of the list of faux pas for the host at at the aforementioned tea ceremony!

‘Storm in a teacup’. Aka ‘tempest in a teapot’. Making a big fuss over something trivial. Dated 1857, but there’s an earlier version of ’storm in a cream bowl’ which dates to around 1678. And an instance of Cicero, the Roman philosopher, around 400 BC, making the remark: ’stirred up waves in a wine ladle.’ Someone made that nice transition from wine to tea and it stuck.

Can you think of any more?

I find differing Eastern and Western cultural attitudes and rituals around tea-drinking an endlessly fascinating area. Here in Blighty, we love a nice cup of tea and a sit down (more about which another time). There is a lovely informality about tea-drinking here, a place where tea is the ultimate social lubricant, spanning generations, and serving as a great social leveller. Unless you’re taking tea in a more formal situation, say for instance, with the Queen, in which case, a ritual element enters into the situation - tea delivered by footmen, impeccably poured, a precise routine practiced for centuries, followed to the letter. Yet I’m sure once poured, even tea with the Queen would probably break the ice a little. The idea of sitting down for the taking of tea has a whole other meaning in the cultures from which tea originates. Take Japan for instance, and its incomparable ‘chado’, or tea ceremony. It makes tea with the Queen look like the height of unbuttoned casualness.

This elaborate ceremony, which involves the preparation and serving of tea by a host to his or her guests, consists of a series of elaborate prescribed movements. Appropriate formal attire is de rigeur: kimonos for the host, either kimonos or other formal wear for the guest.

The ceremony occurs in a special tea house, usually of simple, subdued design.

Guests often wait in a separate enclosure, and when they are called to do so, ritually wash themselves in preparation. A light dish is sometimes served, with sake, as a preliminary, before the host summons them again.

There follows more ritual cleaning, using exact movements which have been carefully learnt (after years of practice). The bowls are placed in an prescribed order, and green tea is prepared using movements which have remained exactly the same over centuries (a Western equivalent would be the priest preparing bread and wine in a Christian ritual).

There is not much room for chat, as you’d expect. A complex series of bows and set phrases are exchanged. A sensual-spiritual experience devoted to the preparation, sight and smell of tea-making, it can last up to five hours.

…one of life’s great existential dilemmas, as Shakespeare himself observed. His most famous character, Hamlet, is almost driven mad by the question: do I use a teapot, or do I go directly for the cup. By the time he makes his mind up, and opts for his special skull-shaped teapot, the play is nearly over, and it’s too late. The water’s gone cold.

But seriously, folks. Teapots. People have been using them for centuries. In fact, since China’s Ming dynasty (1368-1644). Here is a picture of one of the very oldest surviving teapots from this period, dated 1533.

The first teapots, like the above, were made from zischa, which is a kind of clay, and come from the YiXing region of China. YiXing teapots are still regarded, to this day, as a benchmark of quality. YiXing teapots, baked at 2,000F+ high heat, are made of very fine clay. They contain tiny pores, which absorb the flavour of the tea, and can actually enhance the flavour as it brews. They also maintain heat longer than other kinds of teapot (again, improving quality and flavour); and they look great.

Here are some modern examples of YiXing teapots

I confess I’m a borderline teapot obsessive: stay tuned for more tidbits on the story of the teapot.

Even the most practised tea drinkers can wonder how best to store their tea, so it keeps its freshness. It always helps to know where and for how long tea should be kept.

Generally speaking, tea should be stored at room temperature. Although our teas are beautiful to look at, you should resist the temptation to store them in see-through containers. Idelaly you should keep them in the kraft paper bag, closing it with the tie that we include. But if you want to use a jar, use one which is non-transparent, such as those made with wood, ceramic, or steel. Make sure the jar has an airtight lid. The less contact with air, the longer tea lasts.

Always avoid exposing your precious teas to light, heat, air and moisture (among other reasons, some of those conditions encourage further oxidisation of the tea, which changes it from the type of tea that left the tea garden originally). Some people have asked about whether tea can be kept in the freezer, like coffee, and the answer is a definite no. Cool (but not freezing) and dark are ideal conditions and will preserve the wonderful delicate taste and aroma: after all, the reason you bought the tea in the first place!

Our teas have different shelf lives. The general advice is that blacks and oolongs can last, if properly stored, for a year; while greens and whites are more delicate and should not be kept for longer than 6-12 months. Personally, I keep the teas that I drink much longer - they may change in flavour but for me that makes them a new tea, not a bad tea.

When properly stored, you can savour your delicious teas over months without worrying about them losing their vitality.

Here are some interesting tea-related videos I found on YouTube:

• Tea on the International Space Station
• Snapple advert about the British and Earl Grey (inaccurate but funny)
• Street tea vendor in India
• Time lapse of old tea growing mouldy (not nice but it’s happened to all of us!)
• Interesting tea videos from a user called softypapa (check out the hand picking of tea)
• Matcha and Gyokuro tea processing
• The tea room scene from Withnail & I